Crazy About Mary
by sailor asuka
Summary: Mr. Handkerchief must have a wife, says his mother. Mary thinks she has no opportunity of getting one.English is not my mother tongue, so forgive me for my mistakes O_O
1. A new neighbour

CRAZY ABOUT MARY  
A new neighbor  
  
Mr. Raoul Handkerchief was born in France from French mother and English father, grew up in France and was educated in the French way. When he was the age of six-and-twenty, his poor father died leaving him a humble income of just twelve thousand a year. His mother thought it would be a good idea to live in England, so did her son and they moved to London. Then, she suggested him to become a typical British gentleman, thus he decided to purchase a typical British estate in country, and Netherfield fit on all his desires. Of course, his arrival caused a great expectation in the neighborhood, and especially at Longbourn, where Mrs Bennet couldn't wait for his presence at the place which used to belong to her beloved son-in- law.  
  
'Mary, by God, guess what your aunt Philips has told me!' said to her only remaining- home daughter, who was memorizing some Africa's maps 'a new, rich gentleman is moving to Netherfield'  
  
'By God, mother, don't yell in that way, you've frightened me" was her sarcastic answer, by no means understood 'A new neighbor? It sounds quite interesting' and she didn't say anything else.  
  
But Mrs. Bennet was so excited to stay tranquil, and immediately wrote Kitty in asking her to come to Longbourn, for a great prospect was going to settle in Netherfield. Kitty, though more mature due to her elder sisters' company, could not lose this chance and flied to home, willing to get a very rich husband. Her affectionate mother also sent his spouse, who was at Pemberley, urgent letters requiring his presence, and had not she insisted on the matter twice a day, would've Mr. Bennet enjoyed more of Lizzy's intelligence. But the letters were so desperate-like that he decided to leave the Darcys and followed his daughter. Fortunately, both arrived days before Mr. Handkerchief did so, and therefore Mrs. Bennet didn't get sick of any terrible illness.  
  
'Dear Mr. Bennet, I should inform you that our coming neighbor is half- French, and his mother has given him a viscount title' cried Mrs. Bennet 'he has an income of just twelve thousand a year.twelve thousand a year! Can you imagine.? Even more than our beloved Darcy, who is all gallantry. Come on, Kitty; sleep more so that you can catch his eye with your fresh face"  
  
Kitty, who was doing some needlework, answered moving her head 'If I can do something for assuring your and my sisters future, mother, I'll do it" and added in the most mature tone "and if he is a good, mild-mannered and respectable man, it would be still better".  
  
Mr. Bennet, who didn't pay attention to her indeed since Lizzy's marriage, was quite astonished by her prudent answer. He looked at her speechless, and realized she had now a sharper sight, a more modulated voice and more elegant gestures. Lydia's influence was not over at all, but with such nice sisters and fine brothers-in-law he could allow him to build good expectations about her future.  
  
Mary was the same as ever, maybe with a little more of bitterness, always reading her books. Mr. Bennet addressed to her 'And you, my little Mary, what's going on? Are you ready to catch men?'  
  
'Indeed, sir, I'm not sure about that gentleman's respectability' she said 'although it is very natural that he wanted to avoid Bonaparte's selfishness by coming to England, he may return whenever his Emperor's reign finishes, so I won't believe his promises in a very intense way'  
  
Mrs. Bennet didn't know what she meant, and Kitty didn't either, but her father was curious about her incipient political thought. She must've read the newspapers he left over the library's table, and considered her opinions as funny and odd as Jane's trials to hunt, being a fragile lady. 'But of course' she continued 'pass over my gloomy suppositions, dear sister'.  
  
She did so, and kept on her needlework. Mr. Handkerchief arrived with his mother to Netherfield afterwards, and Mr. Bennet was among the first ones in paying his respects to him, since he was willing to avoid his wife's complains. He found his new neighbor handsome, composed and kind of shy, with a strong French accent and full desire to please all his British companions. By the other side, Mrs. Handkerchief's painless behavior proved him that she didn't suffer more than the necessary for her husband's death, and that she would be an excellent partner for Mrs. Bennet's whist table, with her incontrollable talking. 


	2. The ball

By God! Do you still have energies for reading this garbage?! Thank you.that means you're kinda nosey..  
The ball  
  
Mrs. Handkerchief was very pleased by her son's performance, but thought those little meetings were not enough. They needed something big, something great and luxurious; they needed to give a huge ball at Netherfield. She told this to her son.  
  
'You would be seen as a prodigal British gentleman if you gave a ball--" said she.  
  
'Alright Madame. This should be settled at this moment. We'll give a ball"  
  
Poor Raoul didn't like to socialize; he preferred reading his books and investigating about the nature, but his mother had a decisive, no-answer influence over him, so Mr. Handkerchief, though against his real will and desire, sent the invitations off to all the families which had single girls in the neighborhood. Mrs. Bennet was delighted, and her bored husband had to deal with her raptures.  
  
'Oh, dear Mr. Bennet´ said she 'if just Kitty, or Mary married to Mr. Handkerchief, you could live peacefully for the rest of your days' Mr. Bennet blinked skeptically.  
  
'Indeed ma'am, with Lizzy and Jane both have good chances of survive, and so do you, and if I were in your place, I wouldn't worry about their future. Overall, I think they don't have any brilliant fate, thus be quiet; they shall get married to a rich man who shall stand their foolishness' and with these words, he returned to his newspaper. He added afterwards 'Certainly, I'll stay at home during the ball; I'm not interested in the Handkerchiefs' fortune'  
  
'How can you speak about your children in that way?!' cried his wife getting out the library. However, her angriness didn't last so much; instead of it, her energy was directed to prepare her two daughters for the great evening which would change their lives.  
  
Mary was indifferent to this excitement. Her bitterness towards world has increased since her sisters' marriages, about two years ago. Not being compared with them anymore was a true relief, but her mother's constant missing them, and therefore, her compelling Mary to go out and hunt husbands vexed the poor girl significantly, considering that she was plain, unaccomplished and without any natural social charm. She could neither be agreeable nor cheerful with people, and even her showing unusual knowledge, acquired through many hours of study, was no as effective as it used to be. Her unpleasant singing , or her boring talks about something she was proud to be familiar with, didn't last in the assembly's minds more than the evening's time, all to be forgotten the next morning. Mary realized this, and was determined to win the battle, though she was conscientious it was lost since the very beginning. Therefore, she kept on studying yet she had not any opportunity.  
  
Mrs. Bennet opened her eyes as much as she could, while standing at her daughter's door.  
  
'What in God's name are you doing, my dear?!" she yelled 'Why are not you getting ready for the ball?'  
  
'Should I go mamma? I don't feel very well, I have gotten a sore throat' answered Mary with a voice which showed her condition.  
  
'It's just nothing, a little discomfort, I'm sure my love. Hurry up, we don't have enough time' and with this disregarded words, said in the most lovely tone, she shut up the door, leaving Mary to her sour reflections. 'Another nice evening, full of pretty girls with beautiful gowns, and charming gentlemen; everybody's engaged, forgetting Miss Bennet. Yes, who cares of Mary Bennet? I'm so plain that I have no opportunity, as ever; but I least I can say I'm different: I've read more than any in the saloon, and practiced my singing more than any lady of the assembly. I'm not able to catch anyone's eye, nevertheless-- who needs admiration, to be loved by the whole of her acquaintances, as my sister Jane, knowing that is intellectually superior to the others? '  
  
She knew she was mistaken, however, under no circumstances she would allow the truth inside her soul to low her spirits. To believe herself intellectually superior was her only consolation, yet being a pedant lie. She didn't want to suffer very much. - Mr. Handkerchief improved Netherfield with all the possibilities that a big income could afford in so few days. New furniture was brought, the house suffered several reparations, renewals and modifications, and the gardens and walks were enhanced in such a drastic way that even Mrs. Bennet and her daughters were rather astonished by gazing at it, and for a short period of time they could not believe it was the place Mr. Bingley used to live.  
  
'It is so natural' said Mrs. Bennet 'that a man in possession of a good fortune wants to add a personal touch to his property. Look, what a fine taste in this shrubbery, and the garden! God, the house is so changed, it has a more elegant sight, look girls, look!'  
  
Mary's indifference was evident; by the other hand, Lydia was delighted with her new neighbor. Her delight increased when he received them personally, with a pleasant smile and good manners. For Mrs. Bennet Mrs. Handkerchief seemed to be a very sociable, cheerful, considerate woman whom she gave a splendid evening, full of gossips, vain talks and everything that could entertain two ladies whose occupations reduced their cerebral activity.  
  
Raoul had to do everything by himself. Her mother gave him the advice to dance with all the girls of the assembly, without showing deference to any of them in order not to raise expectations among the neighborhood. He ought to be pleasant with everybody, to dance with everybody, to talk to all the British gentlemen avoiding his French accent, and to be gallant with all the women, even the old or mature ones.  
  
'This shall be a long evening' he thought when the first dance took place. He chose one of the Lucas girls, the crowd made their predictions. Then other, and other, and other, and every different lady he saw, giving the congregation a great deal of troubles with their forecast, so many that they finally gave up fancying his intentions, rather wanting to enjoy the ball and not torturing their tired minds. But the poor host had to struggle even more than they since after dancing for a great deal of time, he ran out of ladies and had to chose a couple for the next bop. His eyes gazed worried to his mother, who was in absolute interested in his embarrassing situation. The dance was going to begin. Who should he choose? His immediate alternatives were a Miss Williams and a Miss Lucas, whit whom he had danced first. It was a terrible situation, he could not stay doing anything, it would be seen as a impolite, condemnable gesture, yet he danced with anybody, his sharp neighbors -who, effectively, were looking at all his movements- will engage him automatically with the lady he chose. The music began, the girls were ready, Raoul was frightened. Then he saw his salvation, bored and annoyed, standing up near the big window framed with heavy brocade curtains: Miss Mary Bennet. Who will engage him with Mary Bennet? He had heard some gossips about her, and nobody in Meryton could dare to imagine her as his future wife, by Jove!  
  
Mr. Handkerchief took a great breath, full of relief. With perfect manners he asked her to dance with him, and she accepted, though indeed indifferent.  
  
The things were not as easy as our tortured hero fancied, however. Mary was all boringness and silence. She did not say a word during half of the dance, and his partner felt the necessity of prompting the conversation, so that he won't give the impression of an undesirable fellow. For this purpose he had prepared several introductions and small talks and comments which must get them in the way of a warm talk. Thus he began:  
  
'I was said this property belonged to Mr. Bingley, your brother-in-law' his nervousness, due to his natural shyness, made the French accent return.  
  
'Yes, it was' she said nothing else. Cold and indifferent, fed up with the filtrations that nobody directed to her, she just wanted to go home.  
  
By the other side, her partner was confused. All the ladies were charmed with him and seemed very happy of being his couple, but this girl was totally out of this world. She seemed as if she desired to get away the ball, the noise and all those little, vain things that girls generally love. ' Indeed, I understand her. I would like to be among my pretty volumes' so he immediately felt a sort of sympathy towards her. He cried:  
  
'My lady, the whole Assembly has given me a warm welcome. I did not think the British were such amiable people'  
  
'Glad you like it'  
  
'Despite of all these attentions, I'm tired and at this moment, with all the respect you deserve, I would be happier if I could stay alone and look at the stars in silence'  
  
Mary blinked, really surprised, and looked at her companion. She was not sure if he was flirting , making fun of her, or confessing a real feeling. He was handsome, well-bred, foreigner, very rich and gallant, but had something -she could not determine what- that made him different. Therefore she didn't take that answer as an offense, but an enigmatic commentary which was one thousand more interesting than yawning alone in the great saloon.  
  
The dance finished, he thanked her and the ball was over little time afterwards. Mrs. Handkerchief took leave of the guests with a delicious smile that let her show a great, sincere happiness. She had heard several commentaries, which gave her no little pleasure: her dear son was accepted, and which is more important, rather solicited by all the single girls in the neighborhood. 


	3. Interest

Well, I mean---thanks for reading this garbage. This chapter must seem a little odd to you, since numbers and years do not fit, but wait a little and you'll know the reason of several things---(What a stupid scheme for getting more audience)  
  
INTEREST  
  
The following morning, Mrs. Handkerchief was having breakfast with her tired son Raoul, who could not even take a nap after such a busy night. Suddenly she said:  
  
'You behaved as your poor father would have desired' she cried, her voice full of tenderness 'I'm sure this gentlemen will let you join their circle.'  
  
'Thank you, Madame. Now, if you allow me, I would like to sleep a little--- I don't know---"  
  
'Of course you can Mr. Handkerchief, you're the owner of everything surrounding us' he was standing up when she added 'I just want to talk to you for a moment. Would you mind listening to me?'  
  
'No indeed. I'm always ready to pay my respects to you' he answered, rather frustrated. 'I just want to sleep, by God!' he thought.  
  
'Well, yesterday, at the ball, we received the visit of the Bennets, you know, that pair of charming girls, Catherine and Mary, who came with their mother, a cheerful and fine person, I assure you'  
  
'I wanna go bed!' he complained in silence. 'Who cares of them?'  
  
'They're a gentleman daughter's, my love. As you know, one of their sisters, Jane, has married to a rich fellow, Mr. Bingley. But what is more important, the other sister, Elizabeth, is Mr. Darcy's wife, who has ten thousand-a-year.'  
  
'And? I'm sure Robespierre did not have to bear such a torture like this!'  
  
' Ten thousand a year is something you should take in account, since it 's an income that fits your position perfectly, though is slightly smaller -but a difference of just two thousand, who cares?'  
  
'Yeah, who cares? My brain needs to rest, otherwise it'll stop working!'  
  
'I'd been told that Jane and Elizabeth are two accomplished, beautiful, fine, laudable women. Everybody loves them and it is said they could not have had better luck, having those husbands who can afford all they desires and requirements and--- but don't yawn, Mr. Handkerchief, I'll stop going around the bush and I'll tell you this important matter: Mr. Darcy is Lady Catherine De Bourgh's only nephew. And this wealthy Lady has an only daughter, Miss Anne, who's just waiting for a tender lover who could bring a little of happiness to her life-'  
  
'And you want me to marry her' he completed the sentence, tired 'if those are your intentions--'  
  
'No my dear' she cried 'I don't mean to make your existence miserable by getting you to marry a woman you don't love. I just wanted to comment this to you since, you know, your poor cousins have no living---- and good relations like those would give them an opportunity'  
  
'Yes, my cousins' he replied while walking trough the door 'My innocent cousins---'  
  
**** The former Mr. Handkerchief had but just one younger brother, who, instead of exposing his head in the savage lands of France in order to increase his huge capital, stayed quietly in England. This prudent gentleman, whose name was Michael, married a lively, cute, 16-year-old rich Miss Tablecloth who blessed him with a pretty girl one year after their union. She was called Claudia, being her parents the most lovely, interested ones a child could have, as, they said, she would be educated for becoming an Earl's consort.  
  
Unfortunately, when Claudia was three, her father passed away, leaving behind an inconsolable widow with seventy thousand pounds as inheritance. But Mrs. Michael Hankerchief was still very young, very nice and, overall, very rich; therefore her mourning did not last as much as her relations would've desired, since at the age of 21 she married again, this time to the respectable Count of Stew, sir John Tablespoon who had lost himself his first adored spouse.  
  
The Count was of an easy temper, so easy that he allowed his new wife to send little Claudia to France, where her only live relatives, the Handkerchiefs, had a huge property. So did the affectionate mother, as she said such a young child would enjoy playing with her cousin, instead of growing idle in Tablespoon Park where nobody wouldn't pay attention to her -because sir John's children were not mature enough to include the babyish interloper into their selective circle.  
  
Claudia didn't mind her mother's getting rid of her. As she said afterwards 'Two young, lively, wealthy persons can not share much of their time when they have to bring to life a healthy Count-like progeny". Anyways, she treasured to spend ten years of her life- almost all her childhood and part of that difficult period know as adolescence- with Mr. and Mrs. Handkerchief and their son Raoul, who played the part of brother, best friend and confident. The loved each other as if they were siblings, and during that decade being together was an indispensable requirement for their happiness. The constant changes in their residence -due to those bothering French Patriots- which lead them from Paris to Belgium, from Belgium to Leipzig, from Leipzig to Vienna and from Vienna to Paris, did not affect or perturb them in the least degree. They played all the day, talked till the night arrived, slept in the same room, had the same teacher, and as they grew up, shared their secrets, specially those the teenagers are quite concerned about, that's, love.  
  
One day Lady Tablespoon thought it was a good idea get her eldest daughter to cross the Channel. She had given birth to several children, seven in a more precise calculation, and wanted someone to talk to. Thus, at the age of fourteen, poor and inconsolable Claudia abandoned her loving relatives, towards whom she felt more affection than her own mother. Of course she vowed she wouldn't forget them, that she would write large beautiful letters to her aunt and interesting ones to her uncle, and that she would convince Lady Tablespoon to let her return to the Continent from time to time in order to see her dear cousin, the most beloved of the three.  
  
With these respectable commitments our friend left France weeping in a very sad manner, thinking of her adoptive family with the utmost melancholy. However, the young lady was so agreeably surprised with the sight of the elegant Tablespoon Park, and her neat step-father, and her good looking room, and her new pretty clothes and jewels, that all her sadness went away and she almost forgot the promises she had done before. Nevertheless, to make her justice, Claudia remembered them after the impression of wealth has passed, starting from that day a huge, plentiful correspondence with the Handkerchiefs, full of words of gratitude and esteem.  
  
This is one cousin who, as you have read, was not in a serious situation. Miss H. had 20,000 pounds, therefore she could allow herself to live in the most respectable single condition. The ones her aunt was talking about were her younger brothers, to whom she was specially attached: James, 19, and Louis,17. These poor fellows had to face the future with so little possibilities that everybody could feel but pity towards them. They would've lived, if not in opulence, at least with dignity, but James was an useless day dreamer and had just 3000, whereas Louis was suspected to have spent his own part in vain amusements in London and Brighton, despite of his short age. Two future beggars indeed. 


End file.
